Lane- and rhythm-based melody generation system

Abstract

To generate a melody, one or more machine-readable constraints are accepted from a user through a user interface. The constraints include rhythm constraints and pitch constraints. A sequence of musical elements is generated based on the constraints, each of the musical elements specifying, in machine-readable data, a musical pitch or silence and a duration of the musical pitch or silence. The pitch constraints prescribe pitches in the sequence of musical elements and the rhythm constraints prescribe rhythm of the sequence of musical elements. The sequence of musical elements is rendered in human-perceivable form as a melody.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a pitch constraint;   generating a sequence of musical elements based on the pitch constraint, a musical element of the sequence of musical elements specifying a musical pitch or silence and a duration of the musical pitch or silence, the pitch constraint prescribing the musical pitch of the musical element of the sequence of musical elements; and   rendering the sequence of musical elements in human-perceivable form assigning a pitch value to the musical element of the sequence of musical elements based on the pitch constraint.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving an input data file including chords or beats; and   generating a pitch for a first musical element of the sequence of musical elements, wherein   the generating the sequence of musical elements further comprises generating the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or the beats and the pitch constraint.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 generating an output data file based on (i) the generated sequence of musical elements based on the chords or beats and the pitch constraint, and (ii) the generated pitch for the first musical element of the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or beats and the pitch constraint.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of a preset known musical style, wherein   the generating the sequence of musical elements further comprises generating the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or beats and the pitch constraint according to the preset known musical style.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the generating the pitch for the first musical element of the sequence of musical elements further comprises generating the pitch for the first musical element of the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or the beats, the pitch constraint, and the preset known musical style. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein candidate pitch values are determined from the chords of the input data file or from a selected key depending on a follow chords constraint. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 after rendering the sequence of musical elements in the human-perceivable form, inserting a rest attribute in the sequence of musical elements to meet a rhythm constraint, the rest attribute indicating that a musical element of the musical elements specifies the musical pitch.   
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:
 receiving a pitch constraint;   generating a sequence of musical elements based on the pitch constraint, a musical element of the sequence of musical elements specifying a musical pitch or silence and a duration of the musical pitch or silence, the pitch constraint prescribing the musical pitch of the musical element of the sequence of musical elements; and   rendering the sequence of musical elements in human-perceivable form assigning a pitch value to the musical element of the sequence of musical elements based on the pitch constraint.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving an input data file including chords or beats; and   generating a pitch for a first musical element of the sequence of musical elements, wherein   the generating the sequence of musical elements further comprises generating the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or the beats and the pitch constraint.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 generating an output data file based on (i) the generated sequence of musical elements based on the chords or beats and the pitch constraint, and (ii) the generated pitch for the first musical element of the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or beats and the pitch constraint.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of a preset known musical style, wherein   the generating the sequence of musical elements further comprises generating the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or beats and the pitch constraint according to the preset known musical style.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the generating the pitch for the first musical element of the sequence of musical elements further comprises generating the pitch for the first musical element of the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or the beats, the pitch constraint, and the preset known musical style. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein candidate pitch values are determined from the chords of the input data file or from a selected key depending on a follow chords constraint. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 after rendering the sequence of musical elements in the human-perceivable form, inserting a rest attribute in the sequence of musical elements to meet a rhythm constraint, the rest attribute indicating that a musical element of the musical elements specifies the musical pitch.   
     
     
         16 . A method, comprising:
 receiving an input data file including chords or beats;   receiving machine-readable constraints including a rhythm constraint and a pitch constraint;   generating a sequence of musical elements based on the chords or beats and the machine-readable constraints;   generating a pitch for a first musical element of the sequence of musical elements, each of the musical elements specifying a musical pitch or silence and a duration of the musical pitch or silence based on the chords or beats and the machine-readable constraints, the pitch constraint prescribing the pitch of the musical element of the sequence of musical elements and the rhythm constraint prescribing a rhythm of the musical element of the sequence of musical elements; and   generating an output data file based on (i) the generated sequence of musical elements based on the chords or beats and the machine-readable constraints, and (ii) the generated pitch for the first musical element of the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or beats and the machine-readable constraints.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus, comprising:
 processing circuitry configured to
 receive a pitch constraint, 
 generate a sequence of musical elements based on the pitch constraint, a musical element of the sequence of musical elements specifying a musical pitch or silence and a duration of the musical pitch or silence, the pitch constraint prescribing the musical pitch of the musical element of the sequence of musical elements, and 
 render the sequence of musical elements in human-perceivable form assigning a pitch value to the musical element of the sequence of musical elements based on the pitch constraint. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein
 the processing circuitry is further configured to
 receive an input data file including chords or beats, 
 generate a pitch for a first musical element of the sequence of musical elements, and 
 generate the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or the beats and the pitch constraint. 
   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein
 the processing circuitry is further configured to
 generate an output data file based on (i) the generated sequence of musical elements based on the chords or beats and the pitch constraint, and (ii) the generated pitch for the first musical element of the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or beats and the pitch constraint. 
   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein
 the processing circuitry is further configured to
 receive a selection of a preset known musical style, and 
 generate the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or beats and the pitch constraint according to the preset known musical style. 
   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein
 the processing circuitry is further configured to
 generate the pitch for the first musical element of the sequence of musical elements based on the chords or the beats, the pitch constraint, and the preset known musical style.